The National Chairman, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, ( CNPP ) Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje has challenged Nigerian Journalists to lead the charge in the fight of having a just and an egalitarian Society for the benefit of all.
This is just as he attributed the
decadence in the society to the collective amnesia of the political class and other stakeholders.
Rufai Omo-Aje stated this at the Investiture of the Minister of Interior Affairs , Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola by Nigeria Union’ of Journalists (NUJ) South West Zone.
According to him, the military had adorned babaringa on top of their well-ironed khaki uniform, the security establishment, the judiciary, the bureaucracy that formulate policies that drive people’s lives as a nation and finally the pen pushers who use their pen to either build or destroy alongside other stakeholders of the country
Omo-Aje who is also the National Chairman of Action Alliance Party said though, there is no perfection in nature, but there is a minimum benchmark and expectation that a nation should not go below in the welfare of her citizenry, and the country has not been able to reach this minimum as a nation.
He stated that the signs are there for everyone to see and feel, saying that time will not permit him to catalogue all these collective failures which have been in the public space for years, but challenged the compatriots at the 4th estate of the realm to lead the charge in the fight to have a just and egalitarian society that befits Nigeria as a nation..
” When you go extra mile to truthfully expose our failures, the citizenry gets educated and awareness will be engraved in the subconciousness of our people. I will mention a few areas that need your research and exposure.
” The political class that stood normally on its head to destroy the political system from internal democracy to balloting, promoting mediocrity, cash and carry, and thuggery in the political space.
” The bureaucracy at all levels that crafts together policies that can drive our collective welfare for a just society and at the same time sabotage the same effort, reap the system apart for their own gains and to satisfy political interests either as individuals or as a region.
” The security outfits that suppresses truth in doing their jobs, oppressing the have nots while criminals fester and take over our society. This is fuelling frustrations among the citizenry, further aggravating our insecurity.
” judiciary and delay of justice; why does the wheel of justice move at snail speed? Is it lack of enough and efficient personnel, equipment, funding, training or interference and role of security agencies in creating nightmare for judicial system for speedy dispensation of justice?
” prisons system that are supposed to reform but churn out criminals without rehabilitation back into the society, or crowding 5000 inmates into a facility meant for 1000.
“This encourages spread of diseases easily which may also spread from these prison facilities to not so healthy populace.
,”Why is it so difficult to reform this area that is obscure to the populace but portends more dangers to the society?
‘ Our financial system that leaves behind the largest percentage of our population in financial accessibility while promoting rapacious borrowings by governments that will subjugate us for many years to come.
” How long can the masses allow the elites, especially the political class to continue subjugating them and keep them in perpetual servitude?
“This is where your job is most crucial because an educated populace will correct ills of the society for their collective survival and an egalitarian society. Let us remember that no one is immune from a decadent society.
” All I have mentioned is just micro representation, to mirror our problems as a nation. I therefore challenge you to help our country in exposing our ills in all facets of our society while at the same time promote and celebrate truth and excellence as virtue to emulate by all especially our youth.
“Positive reinforcement of our younger ones will eliminate most of the evils that permeates our society” he concludes.
The Investiture of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of journalism in Nigeria during his tenure as Governor of Osun State, South West of the country.
